The Vicious Circle of Cutback Policies: Citizens' Attitudes Toward Cutbacks in Finnish Welfare Services

In most western countries, public services have been the target of cur‐backs during the past few years. It is often argued that support for a strong welfare slate has declined. In this article, attitudes towards public services in Finland are examined. Factors affecting the willingness to accept cuts were studied using a structural equation model and correspondence analysis. The analysis revealed that piecemeal deterioration in public services can form a vicious circle. The lower the quality of public services, the more citizens are willing to accept cuts in them. The results also lend some support to the argument that the new middle classes are most willing to see market‐based options implemented in service production.